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As the state of California approaches one year of being under various shelter-in-place orders, the Labor & Workforce Development Agency and the Department of Industrial Relations have consolidated resources for employers into a new website. The site provides information on how to ensure a safer and healthier workplace. It also has information on handling…

At the end of July, the Department of Industrial Relations (“DIR”) released guidance to assist with the safe reopening of businesses in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The guidance covers the following topics:

  • Employer Obligations to Keep the Workplace and Employees Safe
  • Face Coverings
  • Medical Checks
  • Returning to the Worksite
  • Waivers of Liability

The…

On January 7, 2016, Governor Brown’s office submitted a 22-page Budget Change Proposal for 2016-2017 (http://web1a.esd.dof.ca.gov/Documents/bcp/1617/FY1617_ORG7350_BCP474.pdf) in an effort to “stabilize and improve the handling of Private Attorneys General Act cases.”

Background

Enacted in 2003, the Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) enables private parties to recover penalties for certain Labor Code violations that could previously only be pursued by the Labor Commissioner or other divisions within California’s Department of Industrial Relations (DIR). Following a 2004 amendment, PAGA requires employees or their representatives to initiate a case by first sending written notice to the employer and the Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) identifying the alleged violations and setting forth specific supporting facts. 
Continue Reading State Budget Proposal Seeks to Reduce PAGA Litigation Through Increased State Oversight

Last year the California Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and the Department of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) initiated a campaign, entitled “Wage Theft is a Crime,” to educate California workers about the complexities of California’s wage laws. DIR Director Christine Baker stated that the “department’s mission is to protect California’s workers with comprehensive labor laws and enforcement focused on businesses that intentionally skirt the law.” The department’s recent effort is the “Wage Theft is a Crime” campaign which encourages workers, especially those in low-wage industries, to report possible labor code violations within the workplace. In support of this program, educational materials have been distributed through local events, mailings, and digital and print media in English, Spanish, Chinese, Vietnamese, Hmong and Tagalog.
Continue Reading California Department of Industrial Relations and Labor Commissioner Champion “Wage Theft Is A Crime” Campaign

Employers in the construction industry throughout California must prepare for an increase in the number of California Occupational Safety and Health Administration (“Cal/OSHA”) inspectors who will check employers’ fall protection safety systems.  The increase in inspections is a response to the events that occurred between May 18 and May 21, 2014, when four construction workers…

Originally posted by SmartRecruiters Blog, the leading source for how to hire on the web. To view the original post, please click here.

So you’re a startup. You’ve decided to take your world-changing idea and move it out of your dorm room/garage/favorite-table-at-Starbucks and start a legitimate business. So what next?

If you plan on

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